The present invention relates to databases and, more particularly, to displaying information for the users of databases.
Databases are used to store data in a manner that facilitates subsequent use of the data. Typically, a database stores several tables which each include several records. Each one of the records can have several fields used to hold various types of information, for example, about a subject or an item.
More conventional databases, among other things, have proved to be difficult to access by an average user because some programming and/or system level knowledge is required to access them, for example, by using Structured Query Language (SQL). SQL is a standard interactive and programming language for getting information from and updating a database.
To allow end-users to more easily access and manage data stored in databases, database products (or programs) have been recently developed. Database products, among other things, often provide a user-interface, which allows users to conveniently perform various operations on data stored in the database. The interface provided by the database product is typically a Graphical User Interface (GUI) which allows the user to conveniently interact with the database product, and in turn, with the database. The user may interact with the Graphical User Interface (GUI) to, for example, view reports generated by the database product, or enter data into fields of a record. The visual representations of data provided by the database product can, for example, include a “browse” mode which allows records to be viewed, changed, sorted, deleted, or added.
It should be noted that a database product (or program) could also be provided as a database server (or host), which allows a client (or a guest) to access data in a database which is typically located in a remote physical location with respect to the client. Generally, a first database application program can, for example, be connected to a second database application program over a computer network. In any case, one database application program can act as a “client” (or guest) and establish a connection to another database application program which acts as “server” (or host) to a database. The client database application program can, in turn, provide the end-user (e.g., a human, or application program) with access to data, which is stored remotely.
As databases have become more prevalent in many modern computing environments (e.g., corporate environments, home-offices, homes), improved techniques for displaying information stored in databases would be useful.